developed. Once they did, the board decided they liked a combination of two, explaining how they wanted the designs combined. With deadlines quickly approaching, I and several other board members understood this design was the one and I As a web designer starting out, I encountered this issue on two different projects and pass along the experiences so other designers don’t make the same mistake. The issue is this – when a client agrees to a web site design, be sure they sign off giving their approval in writing. Whether you devise a form or have someone such as a lawyer draw one up for you, the document should state two things. First, it should explain that by applying their signature, your client is approving the design as presented, with minimal revisions anticipated. Second, the document should state that any major revisions requested after the approval stage will cost your client additional money.

The first time this happened, I was designing an initial web site for a non-profit foundation board I was familiar with. There were problems with the project from the beginning, in that no one was offering design ideas or providing feedback on the three prototype sites I developed. Once they did, the board decided they liked a combination of two, explaining how they wanted the designs combined. With deadlines quickly approaching, I and several other board members understood this design was the one and I b

ign off giving their approval in writing. Whether you devise a form or have someone such as a lawyer draw one up for you, the document should state two things. First, it should explain that by applying their signature, your client is approving the design as presented, with minimal revisions anticipated. Second, the document should state that any major revisions requested after the approval stage will cost your client additional money.

The first time this happened, I was designing an initial web site for a non-profit foundation board I was familiar with. There were problems with the project from the beginning, in that no one was offering design ideas or providing feedback on the three prototype sites I developed. Once they did, the board decided they liked a combination of two, explaining how they wanted the designs combined. With deadlines quickly approaching, I and several other board members understood this design was the one and I

oving the design as presented, with minimal revisions anticipated. Second, the document should state that any major revisions requested after the approval stage will cost your client additional money.

The first time this happened, I was designing an initial web site for a non-profit foundation board I was familiar with. There were problems with the project from the beginning, in that no one was offering design ideas or providing feedback on the three prototype sites I developed. Once they did, the board decided they liked a combination of two, explaining how they wanted the designs combined. With deadlines quickly approaching, I and several other board members understood this design was the one and I

was designing an initial web site for a non-profit foundation board I was familiar with. There were problems with the project from the beginning, in that no one was offering design ideas or providing feedback on the three prototype sites I developed. Once they did, the board decided they liked a combination of two, explaining how they wanted the designs combined. With deadlines quickly approaching, I and several other board members understood this design was the one and I developed. Once they did, the board decided they liked a combination of two, explaining how they wanted the designs combined. With deadlines quickly approaching, I and several other board members understood this design was the one and I began building pages. However, as I started constructing the site, three board members met and decided they really didn’t like the design after all. Hours of work had just been wiped out. With approval in writing, everyone is more likely to understand the web development stage is underway and there’s no turning back, at least not without additional cost to the client.

The second instance also involved a non-profit organization with a slightly different twist. Offering my time and expertise as a volunteer, I had provided an executive director with four designs, and he selected the one that best met his needs. Again, I neglected to have the client sign off on the chosen design. In this case I hadn’t actually started building the site when I got a call that it just so happened the director had a niece with training in web design. She had seen the proposed site designs and wanted to give some feedback and revisions. It seemed odd someone